Research Interests
Understanding the evolutionary consequences of modularity and morphological integration is essential for explaining how complex traits evolve. Modularity can influence both the direction and magnitude of evolutionary change, while integration may constrain or facilitate responses to selection. Incorporating life history traits such as reproductive strategies, growth patterns, and social behavior offers a broader and more realistic framework for understanding morphological evolution, particularly in mammals, where ecological and behavioral diversity may have played a major role in shaping cranial form.
I am interested in evolutionary quantitative genetics and the macroevolution of mammals, with a particular focus on the evolutionary consequences of modularity and morphological integration in primate skulls. My research incorporates life history traits such as reproductive strategies and social behavior to better understand how ecological and behavioral factors shape morphological evolution.
In my PhD, I investigate the evolution of sexual dimorphism in primates and its relationship with sexual selection, evolvability, and known modularity patterns. This work is based on a large dataset of linear cranial measurements from multiple primate species, combined with extensive data on sexual behavior and multivariate statistical analyses.
Education
- PhD in Genetics and Evolutionary Biology Oct 2022 – Currently
University of São Paulo – USP, Brazil
Thesis title: Modularity, morphological diversification and its relation with diet and mating systems in simiiformes primates (Primates: Haplorrhini)
Supervisor: Gabriel Henrique Marroig Zambonato
Funding Agency: FAPESP
- MSc in Ecology Mar 2018 – Jul 2020
University of São Paulo – USP, Brazil
Dissertation title: Coevolution and exploitation in mutualistic networks
Supervisor: Paulo Roberto Guimarães Junior
Funding Agency: CNPq
- Teaching in Biological Sciences* Jan 2020 – Dec 2020
University of São Paulo – USP, Brazil
- BSc in Biological Sciences Jan 2013 – Dec 2017
University of São Paulo – USP, Brazil
Project Title: Coevolutionary centrality in ecological networks of mutualistic interactions
Supervisor: Paulo Roberto Guimarães Junior
- Technician in Environment Conservation Feb 2010 – Jun 2011
Technician School of São Paulo – ETESP, Brazil
Project Title: Feasibility study for effluent treatment system installation in a textile dye
Supervisor: Natália Palermo Pereira Caruso
* Additional degree concerning the main teaching philosophies and strategies which allows teaching practice in elementary and high schools in Brazil.
Grants and Fellowships
- BEPE Fellowship – Research Internship Abroad Sep 2025 – Aug 2026
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo – FAPESP
1-year scholarship to visit Thomas F. Hansen at University of Oslo (UiO) as part of my PhD
- PhD scholarship Dec 2022 – Sep 2026
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo – FAPESP
4-year PhD scholarship
- MSc scholarship Mar 2018 – Apr 2020
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – CNPq
2-year MSc scholarship
- Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Jan 2017 – Dec 2017
Institute of Bioscience – IB USP
TA for two ecology classes provided for undergraduate students in Biological Sciences
Publications
- Lucas A. Camacho, Cecilia Siliansky de Andreazzi, Lucas P. Medeiros, Irina Birskis-Barros, Carine Emer, Carolina Reigada, and Paulo R. Guimarães.
“Cheating Interactions Favor Modularity in Mutualistic Networks”. Oikos 2023, no. 3 (2023): e09176. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.09176
Talks
- Lucas Camacho, Cecilia Andreazzi, Lucas Medeiros, Irina Barros, Carine Emer, Carol Reigada, Paulo R. Guimarães Jr. “Cheating interactions favor trait disparity and modularity in mutualistic networks” ASN Virtual Asilomar 2021.
Posters in Meetings
- Victor Keller, Elisa Hardt, Lucas Camacho, Dante Garcia, Juliano Moraes, Wellington Delitti, Erico Pereira-Silva “Análises qualitativa e quantitativa da flora arbustivo-arbórea de um cerradão conservado no Estado de São Paulo” to appear in XII Congresso de Ecologia do Brasil, (Brazilian Ecological Society) - 2014, São Lourenço, Brazil.
Invited Speaker
- Ecology Graduation Program - Opening Week Mar 2021
Department of Ecology, University of São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, Brazil.
I gave a talk about my master personal experience for the new graduate students in the Department of Ecology - USP.
Organizer: Department of Ecology - USP
- IV EcoEscola (IV Eco School) May 2019
I talked to the graduate students from the Department of Ecology at USP about the importance of the ecology course called IV EcoEscola (IV EcoSchool) as well as opportunities for graduate students to participate in the event.
Organizer: Eco Encontros (Eco Meetings), organized by the students of the ecology graduate program at USP
Awards and Honors
- 2020 Best MSc. Dissertation Mar 2021
My dissertation entitled “Coevolution and exploitation in mutualistic networks” was considered the best MSc. dissertation in 2020 from the Department of Ecology at USP.
Periodic Reviewer
- Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation - 2024
- EVOLUTION – 2021
Courses
- Ecology of the Amazon Forest Oct 2018 – Nov 2018
I spent 24 days in the Amazon Forest to train my writing and presentation skills and develop experiments using the forest as a study system.
Organizers: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa da Amazônia (INPA) and UFMG.
Amazonas – Brazil
- VII Southern-Summer School on Mathematical Biology Jan 2018
The course taught theoretical ecology and mathematical modeling with a final presentation of a group project modeling an ecological system.
Organizers: Prof. Dr. Roberto Kraenkel and Prof. Dr. Paulo Prado.
São Paulo – Brazil
- IV IAG Python Bootcamp Jul 2017
Two-day bootcamp on Python 3 programming focused on data analysis.
Organizer: Institute of Astronomy – USP
São Paulo – Brazil
- Bootcamp of Shell, Git and Python 3 Jul 2015
Introductory training in Bash, version control with Git, and data analysis using Python 3.
Organizer: Software Carpentry
São Paulo – Brazil
- Foundations of R Programming Language Oct 2015
Introduction to basic functions in R programming language.
Organizer: Institute of Biosciences – USP
São Paulo – Brazil
Teaching
- Science and Biology Teacher Feb 2021 – Jul 2022
Middle and high school teacher of natural sciences and biology in Hélio de Souza and Villa‑Lobos High Schools.
São Paulo – Brazil
- Teacher Assistant Sept 2019
T.A. for the discipline “Use of R language for ecological data analysis”.
Organizer: Prof. Dr. Alexandre Adalardo – São Paulo, Brazil
- Teacher Assistant Jan 2017 – Dec 2017
T.A. in two Ecology disciplines (undergrad Biological Sciences, USP):
i) Ecology of individuals and populations
ii) Ecology of community and ecosystems
São Paulo – Brazil
- Tutor Jan 2016 – Dec 2016
Training for teaching biology disciplines in the Science undergrad program at Virtual University of São Paulo – UNIVESP.
São Paulo – Brazil
- Voluntary Teacher Assistant Aug 2015 – Dec 2015
T.A. in the discipline Ecology of Community and Ecosystems, USP.
São Paulo – Brazil
Conferences Attended
- Evolutionary Quantitative Genetics Workshop Jun 2025 – Virginia Tech, Blacksburg - USA
- 2021 Virtual Asilomar Jan 2021 – American Society of Naturalists (ASN)
- Symposium of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity Oct 2019 – UFABC & ICAQF/UNIFESP
- Workshop on Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Ecological Networks May 2018 – IFT/UNESP
- III Workshop of Ecology and Evolution Nov 2014 – Graduate Program, UNIFESP
- Thematic Week of Biology 2015, 2017 – Institute of Biosciences, USP
- Fritz Müller Seminar Series 2016, 2018 – USP (P.R. Guimarães Jr & R. Cogni)
Websites
- Interaction Web Database (IWDB) Feb 2021 – Currently
I help organize a database of ecological interaction networks (IWDB Website).
Networks are available for download. If you have empirical networks to share, email iwdb@ib.usp.br.
Community Outreach
- 2023 Summer School in Genetics and Evolutionary Biology Feb 2022
Member of the organizing committee and lecturer (quantitative genetics & evolution).
São Paulo – Brazil
- IV Eco Escola (IV Eco School) Jul 2019
Coordinated an Ecology course at USP, trained graduate students in active‑learning strategies, designed pedagogic material, and delivered three lectures (“Patterns and Processes in Ecological Networks”, “Coevolution in Mutualisms”, “Modularity in Ecological Systems”).
São Paulo – Brazil
Languages
- Brazilian Portuguese: Native
- English: Fluent
- Spanish: Basic
References
- Gabriel Henrique Marroig Zambonato
Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biosciences, USP – Brazil
gmarroig@usp.br
- Paulo Roberto Guimarães Junior
Department of Ecology, Institute of Biosciences, USP – Brazil
prguima@gmail.com
Links
